BJ Botha Backs Springboks to Dominate France in Scrum Battle at Stade de France
- Former Springbok prop BJ Botha predicted that South Africa's set-piece will prove too powerful for France in Paris
- Botha pointed to the Boks' remarkable front-row depth as a key advantage Rassie Erasmus holds over Les Bleus
- The 25-Test veteran believes scrum dominance will force French errors and take a physical toll over 80 minutes
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Former Springbok prop BJ Botha believes France will struggle to match South Africa's power at the scrum when the two sides meet in Paris on Friday. The world champions face Les Bleus in the second Test of their Nations Championship tour, and Botha is confident Rassie Erasmus's side will control the game up front at the Stade de France.
Speaking to Netwerk24, the 46-year-old tighthead, who earned 25 caps for the Springboks, made his prediction clear.
"From a tactical perspective, I just don't think France can counter us in the scrum battle. I think we'll be too strong for them," Botha said.
"If we can put the pressure on them there, and the maul, I think it will be a tough ask for them."
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Springbok front-row depth a major advantage
What gives Botha particular confidence is the sheer number of quality options Erasmus has available in the front row. At tighthead alone, Wilco Louw, Thomas du Toit and Zachary Porthen are all capable of starting, while Ox Nché, Gerhard Steenekamp and Ntuthuko Mchunu provide serious competition at loosehead.
"We have never had this. We can probably say that any three front rows can start any tier-one match and do the business up front," Botha said.
Set-piece pressure to spill into the wider game
Botha also argued that forward dominance rarely stays confined to the set-piece. When a team is under constant scrum and maul pressure, fatigue and errors follow, and he expects the French to feel that toll as the match progresses into the final quarter.
South Africa head into the fixture as world champions and have built their game plan heavily around physical forward play under Erasmus. If Botha's reading of the match proves correct, France face a difficult evening in front of their home supporters.
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Antoine Dupont faces a difficult Springboks challenge
Briefly News previously reported that France captain Antoine Dupont was preparing for another difficult encounter against the Springboks, with the French star acknowledging South Africa's physical strength and effective game plan.
Dupont also faces an unfamiliar responsibility ahead of Friday's showdown, with France's fly-half injury crisis forcing a major positional change. His comments have added another intriguing angle to an already highly anticipated Test in Paris.
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Source: Briefly News
